Are any of you taking Armour?

[olivia375]

So I know this is a very common story but I'm just so frustrated. I had to go to my GP to get my levels checked bc I live in a rural area and the only endo has a 6 month waiting list.

After almost 2 years of taking 100mcg of levo per day, my TSH is still at 5.6 (5.9 when diagnosed so very little improvement) He says, and I quote, everything looks great. I asked if we could try adding T3 because I don't think I'm converting very well and he said absolutely not that could quickly send me into hyper.

I told him I'm 32 and I should ideally be in the 1.5-2.0 range and I should be able to walk up a flight of stairs without feeling absolutely exhausted. He seemed unconcerned and repeated that adding T3 is a terrible option. So we compromised and agreed to try Armour for 30 days.

Have any of you had good results with this medication? I'm at such a loss. I just want to feel better.

[gimel]

I agree with flyingfool that you do not necessarily need an Endo.  They are usually more rigid in their practices, which  does not work for many hypothyroid patients. than other doctors.   You need a good thyroid doctor that will diagnose and treat based mainly on symptoms,  along with levels of Free T4 and Free T3.  Vitamin D B12 and ferritin should also be optimized.  Except at extreme high levels indicating overt primary hypothyroidism, TSH is not a reliable indicator of a patient's thyroid status either before or during treatment.  

Most doctors follow an unwarranted  standard of care  (SOC) based predominantly on TSH.  This  is expedient for the doctor,  but does not work well for the majority of hypothyroid patients.     Although unwarranted the SOC is derived from the AACE/ATA Guidelines for Hypothyroidism.  Those Guidelines  are based on three major assumptions which have all  been refuted by current scientific evidence, thus invalidating the SOC..  

You can confirm all I have said by reading the following link to the latest paper I co-authored.   Everything there is supported by extensive scientific evidence.  You can try giving your doctor a copy and asking to be treated clinically as described, but based on what you said about him, I doubt you will get a positive response.  So if you want help trying to find a good thyroid doctor,  tell us your location and perhaps someone can help.

https://thyroiduk.org/further-reading/a-patients-guide-
to-the-diagnosis-and-treatment-of-hypothyroidism%EF%BF%BC/

[flyingfool]

WOW.  covid test.

Does he know that Armour has T3 in it?  

Clearly you need to find a new Dr.  

Do NOT, I repeat do NOT think that an endo will be any sort of salvation.  As many endos all t hey do is spend time with Diabetes these days. You are just as likely in my experience and others here to find, or train a primary care Dr to become a good thyroid doctor.  BUT the Dr has to be willing to hear and listen to you and actually read things you can find and provide the Dr.

Even IF you use the Immaculate TSH belief, the ideal TSH is most often quoted as between 1 and 2.  Thinking that 5.6 is good is insane.  Even the industry states that anything over 3.o should be considered Hypo.

[olivia375]

I just had a chance to really look at the blood results and I thought this forum would get a kick out of this. I asked for a full thyroid panel with antibodies. He tested for COVID antibodies not thyroid. LOL

But I'm supposed to trust your extensive knowledge of the thyroid obviously and believe you that t3 is the devil.